Photos of Islamic State Fighters with Their Favorite Sweets

It turns out jihadist militants really love Nutella.

The Islamic State militants I follow on Twitter are the most annoying kind of foodies, constantly sharing pictures of their meals. Between images of heads on spikes and smiling martyrs, they showcase the international cuisine available in the territory they've captured. More than anything, though, they crave the Western sweets they were raised on—particularly Nutella. Earlier this year the Wall Street Journal described the shots of militants posing with jars of the popular spread as "a strategy to make the Islamic State look more friendly and familiar to Westerners." But jihadists who pose with Nutella aren't pretending to be normal people. In many ways, they are normal people. Everyone loves Nutella.

Islamists like the militants of ISIS are notorious for their sweet tooth, which makes sense given that candy is one of the few indulgences permitted by their strict interpretation of their faith. Though some of their food photography is propaganda, the goal is not to make them seem "friendly and familiar," but rather to reassure other jihadi gourmets that the Islamic State has an abundance of quality snacks. Or as one fighter put it: "I'm gonna keep sharing pics of food until you literally join us."